Rt. Hon. Peter Agbe Odey | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait | |
| Deputy Governor of Cross River State | |
| Assumed office 29 May 2023 | |
| Governor | Bassey Otu |
| Preceded by | Ivara Esu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Peter Odey 2 June 1974 Ogoja Local government,Nigeria |
| Political party | All Progressives Congress |
| Occupation | Politician |
Peter Odey (born June 2,1974) is a Nigerian politician who is currently the deputy governor [1] of Cross River State. He is the former leader of the Cross River State House of Assembly. [2] [3] [4]
Peter had his primary education at St. Benedict’s Primary School Igoli in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State between 1979 and 1985. [5] For his secondary education he attended both Government Technical College [6] and Army Day Secondary School, [7] both in Ogoja,graduating in 1993 with distinction. He gained admission to the University of Calabar in 1995 to study Sociology and graduated with a BSc. (Hons) in 1999. At the turn of the millennium,he proceeded to serve his fatherland through the National Youth Service Corps in Nguru,Yobe State. He was named the Corper Liaison Officer (CLO) in his batch where he served as an intermediary between the management of the scheme and the corpers whilst working as a focal member of the Nguru Local Government Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP).
At the completion of his youth service,he proceeded to the top-ranked Catholic University in Lueven, [8] [9] Belgium,where in 2002,he bagged a master's degree in Political Sociology. He won a scholarship to study yet another Master’s degree in International Relations with a specialty in Peace &Conflict Resolution at the London Metropolitan University between 2008 and 2009 where bagged an MA with distinction. He returned to the University of Calabar where he has successfully completed his LLB programme and more recently in 2023 completed his PhD in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution.
Odey was employed by the UNDP [10] to work as a Conflict Adviser immediately after his Master’s in London. During his employment with the UN,he served in Kuwait,Sudan and Abuja before leaving to head the Security and Risk Management Department of the Foreign Office at the British High Commission Nigeria.
The lawmaker's love for politics dates back to his days of student unionism at the University of Calabar. Whilst there,he was at various times elected to serve in the Student Union Government (SUG) of UNICAL,National Association of Cross River State Students (NACRISS),and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
After unsuccessful attempts at contesting for the chairmanship of Ogoja Local Government Area and Member of the Cross River State House of Assembly in 2007 and 2011 respectively,in 2015 he was overwhelmingly elected to represent the people of Ogoja in the Cross River State House of Assembly and re-elected in 2019 [11] when he served as the Leader of the 9th Assembly,both times on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In 2023,Peter was selected as running mate to Governor Bassey Otu for the 2023 Cross River Gubernatorial elections under the platform of the All progressives Congress (APC), [12] they emerged victorious at the polls,and they were sworn in as Governor and deputy on May 29,2023. [13] [14]
Focused on giving effective representation to his people,he sponsored a number of bills,moved and supported many impactful motions [15] in the 8th and 9th Assembly chief of which are;
−a bill domesticating the Sustainable Development Goals and the creation of the Ministry of Sustainable Development, [16]
−a bill creating the Cross River State Privatization Council,
-a bill establishing the Continuous Teacher Training Institute Biase,
-a bill to change the Cross River State University of Technology to a full-fledged degree awarding university,the University of Cross River (UNICROSS), [17] [18] [19]
-a bill to establish the Ogoja Polytechnic [20] and
-a bill on Conflict Resolution [21]
In 2021 Peter Odey decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC). [22] In 2022 he was selected as running mate to Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu for the 2023 Cross River gubernatorial elections. In February 2023,Prince Bassey Edet Otu and Peter Odey were duly elected as Governor and Deputy Governor of Cross River State respectively in a resounding victory. [23] In spite of the legal challenges to their victory,the Supreme Court of Nigeria affirmed their election in a unanimous judgment delivered on the 12th of January 2024,freeing the duo of any legal encumbrances to actualising their People First programme for the advancement of Cross River State. [24]
On the 3rd of December 2023,Rt. Hon. Peter Agbe Odey was conferred with the title of Lekwel E’Mbe I of Mbube [25] by the Paramount Ruler of Ogoja,HRM Oti Mathias Odey Abua. The title means “Pillar of Mbube”and reflects what Peter Odey has strived to be for his people. [26]
Cross River State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Named for the Cross River,the state was formed from the eastern part of the Eastern Region on 27 May 1967. Its capital is Calabar,it borders to the north through Benue state,to the west through Ebonyi state and Abia state,and to the southwest through Akwa Ibom state,while its eastern border forms part of the national border with Cameroon. Originally known as the South-Eastern State before being renamed in 1976,Cross River state formerly included the area that is now Akwa Ibom state,which became a distinct state in 1987.
Ogoja is a Local Government Area in Cross River State,Nigeria. Its headquarters is Ogoja town in the northeast of the area near the A4 highway at 6°39′17″N8°47′51″E.
The University of Calabar is a federal university situated in Calabar,Cross River State,Nigeria. It is one of Nigeria's second-generation federal universities. The University of Calabar was a campus of the University of Nigeria until 1975. The present Vice Chancellor is Dr. Florence B. Obi (Professor). The post of the DVC (Academic) is held by Dr. Angela Oyo Ita (Professor),while Dr. Grace Eno Nta (Professor) is the current DVC (Administration).
Calabar Carnival is an annual carnival held in Cross River State,Nigeria. Also known as Africa's Biggest Street Party,the carnival holds every December and was declared by the then governor of Cross River State,Mr. Donald Duke as an activity to mark Christmas celebration yearly. He said his vision for creating the festival was to make Cross-River a home of tourism and hospitality in Nigeria and Africa. The quality of the festival has grown over the years making it Nigeria's biggest carnival and an internationally recognized festival. It used to be a month-long event that began on the 1st of December,until the former governor of the state,Benedict Ayade reduced it to two weeks after he was elected. During the 2017 carnival,Former governor Benedict Ayade said in his speech that the carnival is to showcase Africa as the richest continent and a blessed place where the young ones should be proud to belong. The carnival has always been entertaining and colourful as different competitions take place and huge cash prizes are won. Calabar which is also known by the name Canaan City,is a city in south-eastern Nigeria. Calabar is actually the capital city of Cross River State. Calabar sits adjacent to the Calabar and Great Kwa Rivers and Falls as well as the creeks of the Cross River.
Odigha Odigha is a Nigerian educator,environmentalist and activist. He is the founder of Nigeria NGO Coalition for the Environment. He was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2003,for his efforts on protection of the rainforests of Cross River State from industrial logging. According to Grist News,he said,"If you fight and run away,you'll live to fight another day. If you die in this struggle,your struggle may not continue." Odigha's focus was on the protection of the Cross River rainforest and on sustainable development for rainforest communities which began since 1994.
Bassey Edet Otu is a Nigerian politician and the current governor of Cross River State Southern Nigeria. who served as a time senator for Cross River South from 2011 to 2015,and a one time representative of Calabar Municipal/Odukpani constituency of Cross River State,in the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2011.
Samuel Eson Johnson Ecoma was a Nigerian jurist and the Chief Judge of Cross River State appointed in March 1990. He was called to the English Bar in June,1961 and to the Nigerian Bar in August 1963.
University of Cross River State also known as UNICROSS is a state-owned tertiary institution with four campuses spread across four Local Government Areas of the state. The University was formerly known as the Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH). It was renamed in February of 2021 by a bill passed at Cross River State House of Assembly which was then approved by the former Governor of the State,Benedict Ayade. The change of the tertiary institution's name was to enable the varsity function as a conventional University,which provides the opportunity to offer more professional courses rather focusing on tech-related courses. The present Vice Chancellor of the institution is Prof Augustine Angba.
Rose Okoji Oko was a Nigerian politician and senator. She was a Member of the Federal House of Representatives from the People's Democratic Party (PDP),representing Yala/Ogoja Federal Constituency in Nigeria's 7th National Assembly. She was elected into office as the first female representative from her constituency in June 2011 and sat as Deputy Chairman House Committee on Education. She was the Senator representing the people of Cross River North Senatorial District. She was elected into office as the first female representative from her Senatorial District in June 2015.
Senator Chief Gershom Henry Bassey is a Nigerian politician and multi-millionaire businessman. He is the senator representing Cross River South Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate. He is a senator of the 8th and 9th National Assembly in Nigeria respectively.
Ivara Ejemot Esu OFR,is a Nigerian politician,academic administrator and professor and is the former Deputy Governor of Cross River State. He hails from Agwagune in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State,Nigeria. He holds the Nigerian National Honours Award in the rank of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) conferred on him by President Obasanjo in 2005 and the Cross River State Honours Merit Award conferred on him by Governor Donald Duke in 2004 for carrying out excellent management reforms at the University of Calabar. Esu has held many positions of responsibility such as Vice Chancellor,University of Calabar (2000–2005);Honourable Minister of State for Tourism,Culture and National Orientation;Member,Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization (TCPC),Presidency,Lagos (1990–1992);Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture,Water Resources and Rural Development Cross River State (1992–1993);Chairman Federal Medical Centre Board,Owerri (2009–2011) and chairman,Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital,Nnewi (2012–2015) and was an Elder Statesman Delegate at the 2014 National Conference of Nigeria. Esu is a Soil Scientist (Pedologist) who has taught in various tertiary institutions,some of which include;the Kaduna Polytechnic;Ahmadu Bello University Zaria,University of Calabar,University of Uyo and the University of Ghana,Legon,Accra.
Walter Patrick Eneji was a Deputy Governor of Cross River State,Nigeria under Donald Duke. He was honoured by Carolina Christian University in Thomasville,USA with a PhD in Business Management and Doctor of Divinity (DD) theology on 9 September 2000.
The 2019 Cross River State gubernatorial election occurred on March 9,2019. Incumbent PDP Governor Benedict Ayade won re-election for a second term,defeating APC's John Owan Enoh,and several minor party candidates.
The 2015 Cross River State gubernatorial election was the 9th gubernatorial election of Cross River State. Held on April 11,2015,the People's Democratic Party nominee Benedict Ayade won the election,defeating Odey Ochicha of the All Progressives Congress.
The 2023 Nigerian gubernatorial elections were held for state governors in 31 out of 36 Nigerian states. All but three elections were held on 18 March—concurrent with elections to every state house of assembly,three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections—while the Imo State,Kogi State,and Bayelsa State elections will be held on 11 November. The last regular gubernatorial elections for all states were in 2019. All states have a two term limit for Governors which makes 18 incumbent governors ineligible for re-election.
The 2023 Cross River State gubernatorial election took place on 18 March 2023,to elect the Governor of Cross River State,concurrent with elections to the Cross River State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly. The election—which was postponed from its original 11 March date—will be held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections. Incumbent APC Governor Benedict Ayade was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third term.
The 2019 Nigerian Senate election in Cross River State held on February 23,2019,to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Cross River State. Onor Sandy Ojang representing Cross River Central,Oko Rose Okoji representing Cross River North and Bassey Gershom Henry representing Cross River South all won on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party.
Asuquo Ekpenyong is a Nigerian politician and financial analyst. He is the former Cross River State Commissioner for Finance and is currently the senator representing Cross River south senatorial district and the youngest Senator in the Nigerian Senate.
The 2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Cross River State will be held on 25 February 2023,to elect the 3 federal Senators from Cross River State,one from each of the state's three senatorial districts. The elections will coincide with the 2023 presidential election,as well as other elections to the Senate and elections to the House of Representatives;with state elections being held two weeks later. Primaries were held between 4 April and 9 June 2022.
Eteng Jonah Williams is a Nigerian Senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District and the Former Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly.